Real Bambi captured at Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan
Our story today is a real-life Bambi and her blackbird friend. Shot in the jungle by a young photographer, Aarzoo Khurana, the photograph captures a beautiful moment between the little deer and the bird. An advocate by profession, Aarzoo has been posting incredible photos on social media.
IndiaTvNews.com spoke to Aarzoo to know what it takes to click a perfect shot in the woods.
"I was surprised to learn that there was no friendship between the two, rather the deer was getting annoyed by the bird," Aarzoo said. "You find such things in the jungle. The bird was trying to feed on the insects in the deer’s body."
Young photographer Aarzoo Khurana captures Bambi at Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan
The image shows a real Bambi can be seen with a bird. The image was captured at Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan
Where were these pictures clicked?
The Bambi was clicked at Ranthambore National Park or the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.
What drew your attention towards the sight?
From the pictures, one could see a friendship bond between the bird and the deer. People do get confused when they see it, but interestingly, the bird was irritating the deer as they tend to feed on the tips of the mammals. The bird was trying to pick the insects of the nose and the ears of the Bambi.
How difficult was it?
We were on a tiger safari. It was monsoon due to which only the buffer zone of the park was open. On the way, we saw a herd of deer and some drongos hovering over them. We waited for a while and came across a young deer. I tried clicking him but he was a little too far. Gradually he came considerably closer to us, right in the middle of our jeep and the valley. At first, the drongo failed to retain its hold on the deer as he was constantly shaking his head. Our safari was about to get over in another 10 minutes and the driver wanted to leave that place to exit the jungle on time. The challenge was to convince him to wait for another 5 minutes, he somehow agreed and luckily, the drongo came and landed right on the nose of the Bambi. I aimed at the deer and captured whatever I could manage in tose 5 minutes. Interestingly, these images are among the most liked images clicked by me.
What challenges do different weather conditions pose?
Weather conditions in forests are always extreme. Talking of the Ranthambore National Park, the mornings are extremely cold during winters and tghe jungle is covered with fog, which makes it challenging to operate the camera as your fingers tend to freeze due to extremely cold weather conditions. Also, wearing gloves while shooting in winters becomes an issue. During monsoons, we face other challenges as you always need to protect your camera from the mist or moisture in the air. During the summers, the scorching heat is a challenge besides the heatwave which spoils a number of shots.
How do you select the location?
All National parks have their charm. I shortlist the locations according to the weather and the kind of shots I wish to create. My preference changes with the season, the number of holidays I can afford and of course, my budget.
In the image, a bird is seen annoying the deer as it attempts to feed on the tips of the mammal. The bird was trying to pick the tips of the nose and the ears of the Bambi
Which animal do you like clicking the most?
Big cats such as tigers are undoubtedly the most magnificent to shoot, but all species have their beauty. At times, clicking the picture of a tiger sitting in the bushes on summer noon in Ranthambore National Park may not solve your purpose, but a common kingfisher sitting on a dry branch right in front of the setting sun at Keoladeo National Park certainly can.
How do you manage being a wildlife photographer and an advocate at the same time?
I take out time and keep visiting these reserves after every 2 months. I also take workshops for students wherein I teach them photography along with the different things they need to take care of while shooting the wild.
What are your plans on wildlife travel?
I had planned on several trips to Jim Corbet and also to Ranthambore, Kanha and Pench. I had also planned on conducting workshops later this year. However, looking at the current circumstances, all my plans have for now been put on hold.
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